The Distance
by Katie Black
Summary: Hermione is visiting Krum, Ron is upset to say the least, and Voldermort has a plan to destroy Harry. With the lines drawn choices must be made, people must die, worlds must be turned upside down, and love must conquer all.


Disclaimer: None of the characters are mine they belong to J.K and the song "The Distance" belongs to Evan and Jordan, not me. The floo powder idea is something I think I heard somewhere but I don't remember if I thought of it, read it a long time ago or something like that so if you know who it belongs to or if it belongs to you just e-mail, im me, or leave it in a review and I'll give you full credit, I promise.  
  
Author's Note: This one is for pretty much a fic to complete my ship collection. I have a Harry/Ginny and a Lily/James song fic and I feel like I need a Ron/Hermione one to finish off the set. This is for anyone who has r/red any of my stories, which I know are not that good, it's because of you guys that I keep trying. This story is using different points of view and I sort of like that idea, it gives more dept and insight. If only I wrote with dept to my characters! Then I might have something ( This also, now that I have finished it, appears to have developed and has a * gasp * plot line! If you guys like this and want a multi-chaptered fic out of it let me know. A special hello and thanks to Erin who has given me insight and an idea for the title if you guys want it to be made into a multi- chaptered fic.  
  
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The Distance  
  
  
  
The sky has lost its color  
  
The sun has turned to grey  
  
At least that's how it feels to me  
  
Whenever you're away  
  
In a very cozy house, in a very small room, sat a very upset boy surrounded by many crumpled up papers. The redhead was leaning over a piece of parchment now, his quill rapidly dancing across the paper, never stopping. Taking a deep gulp of oxygen he reread the letter to himself;  
  
Hermione,  
  
Get your bloody bum back to England pronto! Do you understand me? With Voldermort back on the rise I don't want you anywhere near that git, Krum. I don't trust him. I'm sending this with Pig and there is some floo powder in the bottom of the envelope, I want you to come back right now!  
  
Ron  
  
There, he thought. It wasn't as sweet and desperate as the last few, nor was he hinting at the real reason behind the letter. Ever since the ball he had really seen Hermione, truth be told he had noticed her a long time before but only with Vicky in the picture did he feel nervous. Hermione had been one of them, part of the gang. She stole from Snape and hit Malfoy, she was one in a million and Ron had always thought that she would be there all the time, now she with Krum and not him. It just wasn't right. He also had been honest with her, he didn't trust Krum. Drumstrang had always been associated with Voldermort and with Krum being one of their favorite students he must have been recruited to the death eaters. As long as Hermione Granger was associated with Harry Potter and Ron Wesley she was on the top three most wanted of Voldermort's hit list and he couldn't stand to lose her.  
  
Placing a great deal of the sparkling powder, the last in the house as a matter of fact, he sealed the envelope and tied it to Pig, letting the small owl fly out of the open window before he had a chance to change his mind. He sat in the corner again, slowly disfiguring the remainder of his Krum figure as his mind went back over their first meet, a small smile spread over his face as he pictured Scabbers jump in shock and an even bigger smile when he pried off one of the figure's arms. Maybe, he thought, he could borrow that book Ginny had on the history of voodoo dolls…  
  
I crawl up in the corner  
  
To watch the minutes pass  
  
Each one brings me closer to  
  
The time you're coming back  
  
Hermione sat by the open window, her knees brought up to her chest and supporting her head. Her frizzy brown hair blew back in the cool wind. She watched Viktor practice outside, diving and turning, it looked as if he would break his neck during every dive. He was nice, Hermione thought, very nice and sweet but the dullest person in the world. He was… flat, no humor at all. The sun reflected a glint of water, catching her attention. Dew drops had stayed in the cup of a leave and she saw her brown eyes reflected in the small puddle, sighing she turned back to Viktor, something was missing and she knew what it was, freckles, humor, red hair, and a heart. In one word, Ron. Closing her eyes she thought back to their first year.  
  
She could smell the halls of Hogwarts and hear the noises of the troll as she remembered Harry and Ron save her. She could clearly picture him smile and still felt the tremble of her lip at the thought of Ron, being thrown to the ground in the chess match, flashed before her eyes. He was so brave. Her thoughts were interrupted by Viktor flying by the window and dropping a flower he had picked from the garden into her lap before he soared off. Viktor was sweet and kind, but so was Ron…  
  
I can't take the distance  
  
I can't take the miles  
  
I can't take the time  
  
Until I next see you smile  
  
I can't take the distance  
  
And I'm not ashamed  
  
That with every breath I take  
  
I'm calling your name  
  
But I can't take the distance  
  
Viktor Krum watched Hermione in the window as he soared in the bright fluffy clouds, she was unhappy and he could tell. She was a great girl, one of the best he had ever met as a matter of fact. She was kind, very intelligent, sweet, and pretty. While she was pretty now he could almost close his eyes and see her becoming more and more so, he could see her as a beauty. If only he could turn back time and never ask her to the ball, if he hadn't noticed her at the World Cup he wouldn't have looked for her at Hogwarts and this never would have happened. He was becoming a pawn in Voldermort's evil and twisted plan to get at Potter. While he had refused to become a death eater his sister had decided other wise and now she was bait, a ransom if you will. Voldermort's deal was clean cut and simple; hand over Granger and Susanna would be free from harm. He had only hear of this a week ago, the day after Hermione arrived as a matter of fact, and was now placed in the most difficult situation he had ever encountered. His sister or the girl who held his heart?  
  
I still believe my feelings  
  
But sometimes I feel too much  
  
I make believe you're close to me  
  
But it ain't close enough  
  
Not nearly close enough  
  
Voldermort sat by a fire in a hidden mansion, one of the many owned by his followers. He moved his glass around in a circle and watched the wine swish around. It was a grand bouquet and the fire glowed a pretty pale orange but the home was cold. His servant Peter sat in the background as well as Susanna Krum and Serveus Snape. These were his most untrusted followers; Peter had left him in fear on numerous occasions, Snape was playing both sides of the fence, and Susanna was in the process of making a deal with the ministry for his capture, not the best group he had assembled.  
  
Viktor had yet to deliver the girl. While it seemed to most a small and insingnificient task the capture and murder of Hermione Granger was the best idea he had pondered in a while. If Granger was to die it was certain that Weasley would, in an act of pure stupidity, try to avenge her death. He had heard, from sever reliable sources that Ron Weasley was infatuated with Hermione Granger but had not truly shown the depth of his affections. When Potter's support beams were finally smashed he would slowly collapse, suffering every moment of his existence, wondering if it was his fault that two young lives were gone. Voldermort gave a cruel, cold laugh. This was better than any duel could ever be, he would simply lean back and watch him self-destruct, it would be ironic if the boy who lived did take his own life. Dumbledore couldn't stop this either, how do you save someone from grief? It was the perfect plan, so simple and yet so intricate. The only possible downfall was Susanna; if Krum did deliver Susanna might have a pang of conscious and divulge certain weaknesses that only she, as his previous understudy, would know. She had to be taken care of right now.  
  
"Susanna, come over here." He hissed, it was like the sound of a snake whispering in the night. Susanna blinked before slowly approaching, her short brown hair bouncy and her gray eyes nervous. She looked the innocent type but in fact she was as cold and cruel as he was, perhaps more.  
  
"Yes master?" she replied, he voice low and soft, her hands clasped each other behind her back. Before she could grip her ring, the one left to her by her late mother, she dropped to the floor dead, as cold and stiff as a stone statue.  
  
"Serveus, do clean that up and send another note to our friend Mr. Krum and do remind him that his sister's life is in the balance. Peter, fetch me another bottle, I do have reason to celebrate." He twirled the glass in his hand while placing his wand back into the inner folds of his night black robe. Potter would be his own downfall. Another cold, cruel laugh escaped his lips.  
  
I can't take the distance  
  
I can't take the miles  
  
I can't take the time  
  
Until I next see you smile  
  
I can't take the distance  
  
And I'm not ashamed  
  
That with every breath I take  
  
I'm calling your name  
  
Viktor flew around in another set of spirals; it was late, very late as a matter of fact. The stars hung in the moonlight like ice sickles on a rooftop. He hadn't done anything yet and Hermione was due in a few hours. He flew even faster, trying to outrun his thoughts. Susanna was blood, but she was a traitor and destroyed more lives than he cared to count. If Hermione was handed over she would be killed, that he knew, and with her death Potter might even fall. Who knows what effects a person's death, especially a person as involved in Voldermort's defeat as Hermione Granger, might have. He tilted hard right to make a sharp and narrow turn, hitting a dark black owl in the process. Taking off the letter which was obviously for him, he stopped and hovered by Hermione's window without even knowing it. His hands shook, his heart fell, and his life was simplified as he read the message;  
  
Krum,  
  
Voldermort has killed Susanna I am sorry to say. You mustn't blame this on yourself, it was only a matter of time before he took care of her as she did know more information than he would have liked. He is requesting Grange immediately and believes you do not know of Susanna's death.  
  
As I see it you have two options; you can hand over Granger and take your sister's place or you can send Granger away. If you decide not to hand her over I suggest you also disappear. Below is the location to turn in Granger. Let your heart and conscious make this decision, you hold what may be the future of the world in your hands.  
  
~ Anonymous  
  
Viktor looked into Hermione's window; she was sound asleep and peaceful. He would disappear and she would live. It was the only decision. Taking his wand out he set the parchment aflame and watched it wither away and fly with the breeze. He flew down closer to Hermione's window; she would have to leave right away, and came face to face with a small owl who looked very pleased to have found someone. Petting the owl's head he removed the envelope.  
  
Hermione,  
  
Get your bloody bum back to England pronto! Do you understand me? With Voldermort back on the rise I don't want you anywhere near that git, Krum. I don't trust him. I'm sending this with Pig and there is some floo powder in the bottom of the envelope, I want you to come back right now!  
  
Ron  
  
Well, he thought, this letter was not for him. A small smile passed over his lips, she would be fine. Ron would take care of her, he remembered Ron. The red head that contained something every quidditch player thrived for, the ability to make Viktor Krum nervous, both Potter and Weasley had this talent. Potter was close to Hermione and Ron wanted to be, and deep down Hermione wanted to be close to Ron. He had seen it at the ball, the look of jealousy as he danced with Hermione, the sneer when he and Potter popped out of the lake and Viktor was warming Hermione with a soft blanket. This only confirmed it, Ron Weasley was in love with Hermione and he could take care of her. Scooping some of the floo powder into his hand he hopped in the window and placed his broom against the sill as he went to Hermione, scribbling a note as he went, sliding it into the envelope.  
  
I'd brave fire and I'd brave rain  
  
To be by your side  
  
I'd do anything  
  
I can't take the distance  
  
Hermione rolled to her side as she felt something touch her cheek and the soft brush of something on her lips. Slowly she opened her eyes to see Viktor, she slowly sat up.  
  
"Viktor? What's wrong? What happened?" She could see sorrow in his eyes; he placed a finger on her lips to silence her.  
  
"Voldermort vants you and I von't let that happen. You are going to Ron's house, stay there, for me. I vill alvays love you Hermione Granger, forever and ever." He placed Ron's envelope in her hand and closed it with her other, he took a final kiss and grabbed his broom and took off, away from his home, to hide for now, until he could fight against his sister's killer.  
  
Hermione didn't have time to open her eyes, feel the touch of his lips, and hear everything at once, but she understood in all, it was in his eyes. She didn't even notice that he had pronounced her name correctly. Watching Viktor disappear past the shine of the moon and stars, Hermione rose up on her shoulders and opened the envelope in her hand. Inside she found two letters and a handful of sparkling blue powder, it was silvery like star dust and glimmery, it was floo powder.  
  
The first note was from Viktor;  
  
Hermione,  
  
I must leave, as must you. Voldermort has killed my sister and wishes for me to hand over the thing I cherish the most, you. I am leaving the country and going where I can train for battle. I will join you in the future; I will avenge my sister and protect you until the end. Please go to Ron Weasley's home. I feel that he needs you and you, although you may not know it, need him. The heart, Hermione, is not a transfiguration spell or arthimacy problem, it is something far more complex and yet far more simple. Don't be logical, close your eyes, feel the wind in your hair and the cool breeze on your shoulders, follow your heart and I am certain that it will lead you to a boy who cares for you as much as I do. I will always cherish you.  
  
Viktor Krum  
  
Hermione whipped the tears off of her cheek and swallowed back the lump that was in her throat. Slowly she opened the second letter.  
  
Hermione,  
  
Get your bloody bum back to England pronto! Do you understand me? With Voldermort back on the rise I don't want you anywhere near that git, Krum. I don't trust him. I'm sending this with Pig and there is some floo powder in the bottom of the envelope, I want you to come back right now!  
  
Ron  
  
Ron certainly wasn't as poetic as Viktor but it did manage to get the point across in a very blunt matter but what was written between the lines was the most powerful of all. He cared for her, more than a friend, he truly cared for her. This was what Viktor had meant. Hermione sat up, placing both notes back into the envelope as well as the floo powder. She quickly packed her bag (if only she could do magic in the summer!), not bothering to fold anything, and ran downstairs. Her long maroon nightgown flowing behind her. She turned the corner, removing the floo powder as she turned towards the fireplace. A swift breeze was an open window blew the powder out of her open palm, like starlight upon the blanket of night.  
  
I will go the distance  
  
I will go the miles  
  
That's how much you mean to me  
  
I can't take the distance  
  
I can't take these miles  
  
I can't take the time  
  
Until I next see you smile  
  
I can't take the distance  
  
And I'm not ashamed  
  
That with every breath  
  
I take I'm calling your name  
  
I can't take the distance  
  
Molly Weasley's hands shook as she held the daily prophet. The headline read KRUM MANSION IN ASH, TWO BODIES FOUND. Hermione was staying at Viktor's home, and now she wasn't sure if Hermione was alive. Tears bounced off of the [parchment and blurred the words of the article. She sat down at the table, Charle and Bill were out of the country, Fred and George were at Lee Jordan's home for the week, and Percy was at the ministry as was Arthur. Only Ginny and Ron were home. Ginny would be up soon but Ron was known to sleep in during vacations. This time though, was not a normal time. Molly heard Ron moving around in his room. Ever since Hermione had gone to Viktor's home Ron had been on edge. Molly had noticed it, Ron liked Hermione in more way than one and Molly was ecstatic when she had first noticed it. Hermione was the perfect daughter-in-law, sweet, intelligent, kind and great for Ron. After all, his grades had risen after Hermione had visited last summer. Now, it was all lost.  
  
"Morning mum." Ron mumbled as he walked in going straight to the refrigerator. His bright bed hair was stuck in odd angles and his white tee- shirt was wrinked. Molly's eyes welled with even more tears as she looked at her youngest son. "Where is the milk?" Ron asked, turning and catching sight of his mother for the first real time. "Mum, mum what's wrong?" He asked, his voice rising as he walked over, his eyes wide awake now.  
  
"Ron honey, there was a fire at the Krum mansion and," she held back more tears, "they have found two bodies. Now don't get worried just yet we don't…" Molly was cut off as Ron took the Daily Prophet and began to scan the article, his body gave a shake and he closed his eyes for a moment.  
  
"Mum, I have to go and see for myself." He said while fighting the lump in his throat which was constricting his voice more and more as flashes of Hermione went through his head.  
  
"Ron, honey, you can't help by going all the way over there. The Ministry will investigate and Hermione is a smart girl, I'm sure she is fine." Molly tried to believe these words as she said them. Her son's face had become set like stone and his knuckles were white.  
  
"No mum, Hermione wasn't smart, she was brilliant, beautiful. She was perfect and I am going. This," he held up the paper, "wasn't an accident. I will find out what happened and I will make sure whoever did this pays. I swear I will, or I'll die trying, for Hermione." He said in an almost silent whisper. Ron had his thoughts and this wasn't just any fire, someone had set it in an attempt to murder Hermione, he was sure of it. Ron grabbed his cloak (cold in Bulgaria and he wasn't sure how far his travels might take him) and small satchel of money (3 saved up galleons as well as 5 sickles and 7 Knuts). "Mum, tell everyone I love them." He walked out of the Burrow, not looking back.  
  
I will go the distance  
  
I will go the miles  
  
That's how much you mean to me  
  
I can't take the distance  
  
I can't take these miles  
  
I can't take the time  
  
Until I next see you smile  
  
I can't take the distance  
  
And I'm not ashamed  
  
That with every breath  
  
I take I'm calling your name  
  
I can't take the distance  
  
Ron ran down the street, his mind racing faster than a firebolt. Hermione might be, well he didn't want to think about that. He had never told her, the last thing he had even written to her was to "get her bum back to England." That wasn't what he should have said. He could have told her how her eyes lit his soul or how he woke up each day just so he could think of her and went to bed to dream of her face. As thoughts of Hermione floated though his mind anger devoured his soul. It was Voldermort, he knew it was and Ron knew he would die if he tried to face him. Ron knew he would die. First he would go to the mansion, then he would say goodbye, after that he would find Voldermort and do whatever he could however he could.  
  
About a mile and a half from the Burrow Ron realized he couldn't possibly run to Bulgaria and he couldn't fly there on his broom. There was no floo powder at home, he had sent it to her, and then a simple idea popped into his head, the Knight Bus. Sticking out his wand hand the huge bus pulled to a sharp stop next to him. Rushing onboard and not truly listening to anything that was being said to him Ron handed over a gallon, throwing the change back into his pouch. He told the driver to take him to the Krum Mansion and headed to the back. The only thing that interrupted his thought was the driver muttering that they still needed to stop at a nearby house called the Burrow. Ron turned quickly.  
  
"Did you just say you had to drop someone off at the Burrow?" Ron questioned, hope rising in his voice.  
  
"Yea, a girl. Should have taken her to a hospital as far as I'm concerned but she insisted on being taken there." Replied the sleepy-eyed driver. That was all Ron had needed to hear. Taking off fast he searched the seats and side compartments. The driver had mentioned a hospital, what if Hermione was injured; he couldn't lose her like that. Pulling back a curtain he saw Hermione. She was covered in soot and ash, her frizzy hair a messy and her face streaked.  
  
"Hermione!" he yelled, rushing forward and holding her, she opened her arms to accept his embrace. "Hermione, are you ok? What happened? I thought I lost you…" he whispered into her hair.  
  
"There were death eaters in the house; I set it on fire to create a diversion. Ron I was so scared I wouldn't see you again." She pulled him closer as tears streaked down her face again.  
  
"What about Krum? He's a death eater isn't he? I knew he was." Ron stated both in anger and joy about being right, that tiny piece of happiness was squashed.  
  
"No Ron, he wouldn't turn me over to Voldermort, he saved me by sending me away. He's in hiding but he says he'll come back to fight with us. Voldermort killed his sister." He voice was weak and she gave a small sniffle into Ron's still wrinkled shirt.  
  
"Just one question?" Ron asked, thinking back to their first year, Hermione nodded her head against his chest. "Was there wood around to set the fire?" They both gave a smile chuckle.  
  
"Ron, I am a witch," she stated in a somewhat loud voice and then whispered, "But I did use the wood by the fire."  
  
"The Burrow Miss!" The driver yelled from the front. Hermione began to stand up but lost her footing, landing in Ron's arms.  
  
"Maroon is a beautiful color." He mentioned, taking in her nightgown which was torn, the edges frayed and burnt. "But not as beautiful as you." Their eyes locked for a moment and Ron took her chin with his index finger, her skin was soft. He rubbed off the ash and gently kissed her lips. "You scared me Hermione, you really did. When I thought you were gone," he gave a loud sigh "I felt my heart break." Hermione kissed him, her hands making his hair messier than before and Ron held her waist supporting her.  
  
"Excuse me miss, sir!" The driver said from behind them. "We are here." They broke apart, their foreheads touching as they looked into one another's eyes.  
  
"Can you walk Hermione?" Ron asked his hands still on her waist. She attempted to take a step but promptly fell once again. Ron placed one hand on the small of her back and the other under her leg as he lifted her up. Hermione placed her head on his shoulders and her arms around his neck as he carried her off the knight bus.  
  
"By the way Ron, never tell me what to do." Hermione softly said as they descended the stairs.  
  
"What do you mean?" He questioned, surprised.  
  
"In your letter, you said I better get my bloody bum back to England and, well just don't do that again."  
  
"I was afraid I would lose you Hermione I never meant to tell you what to do." His said his voice rising.  
  
"Ron you were telling me what to…" Their voices faded into the background, arguing as always but deep down in love. Neither would admit it but their greatest fear wasn't their own death but the death of the other. They needed eachother, to love and argue with.  
  
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Wow! The plot of that certainly did evolve from what I thought it would be. Well what do you think? I sort of like the plot and might even make it into a real fic. I plan on making an epilogue for this, sort of what happened a week or two after this, basically on Krum but I'm not sure. Please give me feedback. Please… 


End file.
